Obituaries
Su Hillyer
February 14, 2021
Su Foss Hillyer, 23, passed away surrounded by her family after a special week of visits and phone calls and sharing of memories and laughs and eating her favorite foods and desserts and most importantly meeting her great-grandson Theo. That’s just the way she wanted to go. As Suzy put it best, “You Can’t Beat That” She closed her eyes and drifted off to 1968, that was her heaven.
Su was born July 16th, 1953. (Don’t bother doing the math) She talked of her childhood and family often. The last place her parents (Carolyn “Ginger” and Charles Foss) and 4 siblings (Kathy, Chuck, David and Maria) resided was in Beachwood Cove in Huron until 1969. In 1969 she lost her mom to an aneurysm while she was home from school nursing a ruptured eardrum. Her life changed forever the day she lost her mom. Suzy never truly recovered from the loss. Life moved forward but part of her forever stayed the 16 year old girl that lost her mom.
Suzy had two beautiful daughters Carolyn (Derek Laird) and Kim (Terry Ludewig). When she became a single mom to these girls she became a survivor for a second time. She was a hard worker and worked jobs that someone her 5’3” 115 lb body should never have been able to do but she was determined to prove to the doubters she could it. She would also walk for miles and miles because she couldn’t afford a car to get school clothes and groceries or whatever we needed. She was tough! Life wasn’t easy during these years but it helped us appreciate each other and the value of hard work and of course how to be the next generation of survivors. She taught us well!
From these girls she gained 4 grandchildren (Alex, Joey, Jourdan and George) and they were her pride and joy. She was the best Mom-Mom and Grandma you could ask for. Her grandchildren’s passions became hers and she would scour the internet and store shelves for hours and weeks to find every item from their latest obsession. If they asked for it Mom-Mom delivered it. She was also their biggest cheerleader. She rarely missed an event and has a million pictures that she personally took to capture all their proud achievements.
Suzy never had the confidence in her abilities she should have had but she was a true artist when it came to her photography and photo shop work. She was self-taught and had an eye for the perfect shot. She had an artist’s ability to make the imperfect shot perfect. She also had a passion for Ancestry. She loved researching history and left us with all the family history her detective work could uncover. As the matriarch it was imperative to her to leave all the history of our family she could provide in great detail. She even printed a book of her efforts.
There are so many great memories with Suzy. Because she was such a private person you were truly one of the lucky ones if you got to see her in her comfort zone, which was her home. There you could find her singing and dancing and joking and laughing. We have tons of video to prove this shy girl had a fun side. She also left her family with wonderful memories of family trips which almost always included a beach (her favorite place) or an amusement park or some special excursion she perfectly planned especially for you. Lastly she gifted us all with a soundtrack to our lives. Suzy loved her music and everyone had a special song or an entire playlist depending on if it was a special event. Suzy’s playlist was full of 50’s and 60’s music mixed with a little Bruce. If you listen to any of this music think of her.
Suzy leaves behind her husband Lawrence Hillyer; her daughters, Carolyn and Kim, her grandchildren Alex Laird, Joe (Sydney) Ludewig, Jourdan Ludewig, George Laird and adopted grand-daughter Lyndsey and Great-Grandson Theo. She also leaves behind her brother David (Leanne) Foss and nieces Kerri and Maddison and Megan as well as a great nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Carolyn Foss. Her sisters Kathy and Maria. (Who’s death’s made her a survivor for the 3rd and 4th time) Her nephew Joey and her niece Ryan.
Please honor her memory by taking a page out of her book and eat your desert for breakfast (preferably her favorite, ice cream or donuts) which she did every morning because you have all day to work it off then. You are so smart Suzy! Your family will miss you terribly but we know you are reunited with your mom and family and you missed them every day so we know you are at peace now. Arrangements entrusted to the Evans Funeral Home, 314 E. Main Street, Norwalk.
Su Hillyer
February 14, 2021
Su Foss Hillyer, 23, passed away surrounded by her family after a special week of visits and phone calls and sharing of memories and laughs and eating her favorite foods and desserts and most importantly meeting her great-grandson Theo. That’s just the way she wanted to go. As Suzy put it best, “You Can’t Beat That” She closed her eyes and drifted off to 1968, that was her heaven.
Su was born July 16th, 1953. (Don’t bother doing the math) She talked of her childhood and family often. The last place her parents (Carolyn “Ginger” and Charles Foss) and 4 siblings (Kathy, Chuck, David and Maria) resided was in Beachwood Cove in Huron until 1969. In 1969 she lost her mom to an aneurysm while she was home from school nursing a ruptured eardrum. Her life changed forever the day she lost her mom. Suzy never truly recovered from the loss. Life moved forward but part of her forever stayed the 16 year old girl that lost her mom.
Suzy had two beautiful daughters Carolyn (Derek Laird) and Kim (Terry Ludewig). When she became a single mom to these girls she became a survivor for a second time. She was a hard worker and worked jobs that someone her 5’3” 115 lb body should never have been able to do but she was determined to prove to the doubters she could it. She would also walk for miles and miles because she couldn’t afford a car to get school clothes and groceries or whatever we needed. She was tough! Life wasn’t easy during these years but it helped us appreciate each other and the value of hard work and of course how to be the next generation of survivors. She taught us well!
From these girls she gained 4 grandchildren (Alex, Joey, Jourdan and George) and they were her pride and joy. She was the best Mom-Mom and Grandma you could ask for. Her grandchildren’s passions became hers and she would scour the internet and store shelves for hours and weeks to find every item from their latest obsession. If they asked for it Mom-Mom delivered it. She was also their biggest cheerleader. She rarely missed an event and has a million pictures that she personally took to capture all their proud achievements.
Suzy never had the confidence in her abilities she should have had but she was a true artist when it came to her photography and photo shop work. She was self-taught and had an eye for the perfect shot. She had an artist’s ability to make the imperfect shot perfect. She also had a passion for Ancestry. She loved researching history and left us with all the family history her detective work could uncover. As the matriarch it was imperative to her to leave all the history of our family she could provide in great detail. She even printed a book of her efforts.
There are so many great memories with Suzy. Because she was such a private person you were truly one of the lucky ones if you got to see her in her comfort zone, which was her home. There you could find her singing and dancing and joking and laughing. We have tons of video to prove this shy girl had a fun side. She also left her family with wonderful memories of family trips which almost always included a beach (her favorite place) or an amusement park or some special excursion she perfectly planned especially for you. Lastly she gifted us all with a soundtrack to our lives. Suzy loved her music and everyone had a special song or an entire playlist depending on if it was a special event. Suzy’s playlist was full of 50’s and 60’s music mixed with a little Bruce. If you listen to any of this music think of her.
Suzy leaves behind her husband Lawrence Hillyer; her daughters, Carolyn and Kim, her grandchildren Alex Laird, Joe (Sydney) Ludewig, Jourdan Ludewig, George Laird and adopted grand-daughter Lyndsey and Great-Grandson Theo. She also leaves behind her brother David (Leanne) Foss and nieces Kerri and Maddison and Megan as well as a great nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents Charles and Carolyn Foss. Her sisters Kathy and Maria. (Who’s death’s made her a survivor for the 3rd and 4th time) Her nephew Joey and her niece Ryan.
Please honor her memory by taking a page out of her book and eat your desert for breakfast (preferably her favorite, ice cream or donuts) which she did every morning because you have all day to work it off then. You are so smart Suzy! Your family will miss you terribly but we know you are reunited with your mom and family and you missed them every day so we know you are at peace now. Arrangements entrusted to the Evans Funeral Home, 314 E. Main Street, Norwalk.